The Golden Phoenix
by cheong.yewfong
Summary: Rewritten. You can still read even and don't get lost even though this is a sequel. The content in it will explain it all, but brace yourself for a tale of sharp turns. I leave you to click on it. PAUSED.
1. Prologue

**Hey, yeah, it's me, the crappy writer who wrote the Golden Phoenix last time. I did my best to edit the plot, and I think it would be coming out soon... Thanks for forgiving me for writing such a lame plot for the last story. :3 **

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The bird preened, folding its ever colorful wings to its back, before turning it's beady eyes back to the sky. Then it unleashed its wings again, and launched itself into the sky who opened its arms warmly, greeting it by blowing a gust of wind at its beak.

The bird took a sharp turn towards the right, slanting down a little at the same time, bringing it to the ground, seeking food to satisfy its hunger.

The sharp sight of targeted its new prey wiggling on the soft bed of grass- a worm, squirming to get free, before it got pecked by the bird, and the life of a small insect faded into the bird's gullet.

The bird, cawing in content, shuffled, and scanned the surroundings for a better prey, until its eyes landed on something so surprisingly huge, towering in the distance, so different from the vibrant creatures living here, so dull, so eerie, its mountain peaks shooting through clouds, like a line slicing through the fire and water.

Beyond the ancient stones of the mountain, zooming through the hidden chambers where the bones of the dead skittles by, lay the OverLord of Darkness, King of the Dead, the Four Armed One, whom its sworn enemies call Lord Garmadon, sat on a throne of obsidian, it lower two hands gripped the armrest firmly, his purple eyes flaring in frustration.

The time has come.

Where is he now?

His black fingers rapped on the armrest impatiently, attracting nervous attentions from his minions around him. The man suddenly turned his attention to a trembling skeleton beside him, his right hand man, Gravior. "Well? Where is he?"

Right now the poor skeleton was stricken with fear, the voice gnawing his heart as he stared helplessly at his shivering feet. "He-he-he should be h-h-h-ere, aaaaany time..."

"Now."

The voice came rough, bouncing into the throne room, wiping Gravior's voice as the skeleton collapsed to the floor in extreme relief, sighing at the same time. Lord Garmadon's black lips curved into a wry smile as he heard the bulky pace of a human cloaked in a cape of vine green came strolling into his eardrums.

"Is it done?" The Overlord's tone was more than anxious.

The man nodded solemnly. "It went as expected. They have fallen into our trap. That prophecy is indeed impossible to be thought as a fake, master. We have just the matter of time before the ninjas fall to our feet."

"Are you sure there is nothing bothering?" Although relieved, Garmadon can't take short measures. There surely must be something on his way. "Nothing is wrecking our plan, master. It is as smooth as a plate of steel. The Ninjas are doomed now."

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**Yep, yep, that's what I can give now. Stay tuned, and brace for more sharp turns of the plot!**


	2. Evera

**Okay, the fic is rewritten, but it doesn't mean this is going to the trash. Though they're really... unlikable, they're still the rusty, moldy key to a door of light. XD Sorry!**

My name is Evera Akemata.

I was born in a peaceful city of Sirena, filled with wonder any joy, brimmed with peace and love. My mom was a doctor, aiding the weak, my father was a hunter, keeping unwanted threats out of our glorious city.

Diamond skyscrapers tore through the white cottony clouds that painted the sky, futuristic cars zoomed through the low and high of the heavenly grounds. There was no black splotches of crime. There was no misunderstanding between us.

We are one.

And we'll always be.

That was our vow to each other.

Our token of unity.

Until...

Until something tore it.

So violently it was in shreds.

No, it wasn't from us.

Nobody knew who it was.

It doesn't matter anyways.

Because I'm the only one now.

The only one striving from the unexpected attack of the city.

They killed everyone I knew.

Every single friend, relative, neighbors, even my sworn enemies.

They thrashed the city to ashes. They brought a lavishly structured city to a pile of worthless ashes.

They failed. The sirens failed to engulf the threat. It was far too strong for us.

And I can still remember who killed my parents, right in front of my eyes, tears spilling out of each like a waterfall, as they stabbed them.

They were the rumored ninjas.

Now, there was no good, no understanding, no sympathy. Instead of a pure heart, what remains lingering in my heart is a bloodstained, revengeful heart.

They brought my home down.

They killed my friends.

They murdered my parents.

What is worthy of it if I do nothing?

Back then, I regret.

Regretted me trying to slip away, tricking death, ignoring others.

Watching them as they fade to fossils.

Then I understood.

Fate let me escape for a reason.

It made sense.

I will not rest until the ninjas, or the descendants of them, are killed.

Forever.


	3. Reanne

Reanne's POV

Time passes in different speeds.

Some goes no faster than a procession of snails, but the others go as fast as a galloping horse.

Mine is just plain, ultra fast. Recalling the memories was like reciting ABCs for a teenager.

One minute, I was a normal high school student, in a normal high school. Well, not really normal. Maybe downright ugly school environment.

You see, I was a transfer student. I once studied in a place better than my new school, somewhere great, with three dear friends; Ashlyn Roana, William Johnson and Ken Ralenn. Then my mom paved another path for my life to walk in. Something that I didn't wish that appeared in my world. A hasty, bumpy road which reeked of cement, leading to another school. The hospitality there was no higher than crap. I was tortured eternally by Susan Tekkan, who is downright mean, with no one as good as Ashlyn or Will or Ken.

No, wait, mean is just a kinder word for a spoiled bitch surrounded with branded stuff if you want me to confess my perspective about her.

And then, what happened next, the sudden twist of my life, made me hesitate if the new school life was not the worst thing that happened to me.

It was a normal day that involved the usual bullying of Susan, and I was walking down the street casually, normally, until something hit me on the back and my whole human world blacked out.

The next second, I was thrown into a world of mad fighting of elemental magic and ninjas, with reptilian men plus living skeletons as enemies. HOW COOL IS THAT, HUH?!

And I, Reanne Silverwoods, is currently right smack in the middle of the crazy game, a pawn in a war. Then what happened before all of that, right after you got smacked on the back, you may ask? I discovered I was someone who has so called superpowers, met a brother who doesn't even look human, battled with a ninety year old man and lost. Lord, the world has turned upside down.

Well, looking at the bright side, at least my friends from my other school, Ashlyn Roana and William Johnson are here. So there was mercy for me.

Ken, yes, he is here but... he isn't in the good, ninja-ish side. He works for crazy species(which is snake man and the living bones of the dead), and I don't even know what ticked off inside his head. He used to be a mild mannered person who sticks to a book instead of a battle axe, but the last time I met him... he morphed into a killing machine. Thanks a lot, snake men.

Then god bugged me again, sending a prophecy from nowhere that might be my only key to finish off the Overlord, and, possibly, send me back.

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For now, scrolling back to reality, I shook the memories off as I turned my glance to the five ninjas sitting around me in out HQ; Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane and Lloyd.

"War monuments? What the heck is that for?" Cole questioned as he look a sip of green jasmine tea, and settled back, his face loosened into a relaxed smile. "Ah, that's much better. So... where were we?"

They just finished hearing all what I said about my brother, the dream, the destiny, everything. But they took it like it was a bad news in the middle of a holiday.

"I'm afraid I don't know any history monuments around here." Zane apologized, and spared a curious glance at his preening Falcon. Will turned to Jay. "Do you?" Jay shook his head a little violently. "Uh, I don't think so there's even war in this... wait!" Jay's face suddenly lit up like a light bulb, and stared at us. "I know what you mean now! There's a invasion, about three centuries ago in Ninjago, around Jarmodecai Village, where Lloyd made his epic fail raid of candy."

"Hey!" The green Ninja protested, his face scrunching into a annoyed sulk. "I did get candy!" Jay ignored the whines souring the atmosphere, and continued. "It was... I think a battle between the villagers, though I didn't know why. But some of the bodies weren't buried in the cemetery of Honor. There was a barricade for one of the teams, and they had cover in a hall which was once used as a ballroom. It was bombed, and the people inside went dead. I don't think you can enter, unless you build it up again."

For a second he earned everyone's stares in the room, stunned silence dawning. "What? Did I stole anyone's cake?"

"Oh, no you don't!" Cole growled, his bulky body ready to lurch forward.

"We never knew you were good in history." Zane complimented monotone. Jay grinned arrogantly. "Well, you know now. Call me professor Jay-" He was muffled by Kai with a hand slammed directly on his face, who turned to us. "You better go now."

I threw in a shirt and a pair of jeans while pulling in a white jumper and pulled my two friends out into the world of clouds, waiting for Nya to give me a signal to land at the bustling village.

For once, I hoped that it was snowing here. Then I might get a chance to walk in a deserted residential area, not a over crowded village which the searing heat can drive me nuts.

It hit me that the five ninjas never really mentioned about this village. I spared a moment of deep thinking as I pushed through another yelling villager, my head barely avoiding another straw hat that swept through my hair. Ashlyn seemed uncomfortable as she looked around the crowded stores, but Will was content to be nursed with a sample cup of prune juice as we squeezed through the sea of villagers.

I looked around. We were dangerously loosing each other among the noisiness, and after a last glimpse of them, Ashlyn was buried under a area of straw hats, Will's leg sucked into a dumpling shop. Reluctance absorbed the oil of will power to make me turn back and get out of the mini tornado of villagers.

When my last feet got rid of the tangled legs in the village and set on clear ground, I couldn't help but let a loose, relieved sigh escape my lips, and gently let a free palm settle on a nearby pole, and leaned my body against it.

My temporary peace hissed away like steam disappearing with the wind when Ashlyn and Will flashed dangerously under my eyelids, and my head tilted up, glancing back at the crushing people. My stomach flipped with exhaustion and a little speck of regret.

Oh, boy.

It took a eternity to drag Will out of the shop, according to his new obsession to the Chinese dumpling, thanks to his adventurous mood. I forced a little of the energy from the sun to seep into my sore muscles, my eyes glaring at the Ninja of the Amber Dawn, still having his hands punched on the shop's glass door. "I... WANT... DUMPLING...S!"

I can see the shop keeper staring at us like aliens, but the slightly shocked man didn't move. Then I felt power rushing in my veins, and took a chance to snap the grip between Will and the glass door. We tumbled onto the stone floor, unexpectedly cleared by the puzzled villagers who were still staring at us when I sat up and rubbed my sore arms.

"Remember to tell me to blindfold you before we enter the village." I shot a silent eye of rage at Will, who reluctantly nodded.

I shoved another man to the side, who yelped and tumbled onto the ground, sending white flour exploding everywhere as a small hole in the crowd began to open, everyone glancing at the shaking man.

We found Ashlyn examining a map stuck onto a billboard with a few multicolored pins, her eye's shine disappeared from her golden pupils. Her index finger's nails was dug into her teeth, which was what she unexpectedly does when she's deep in thought. I had to give her a hard pat on the shoulder before she jolted up, shocking both me and Will to the bones.

"Whoa, Ash, you gave me a scare. Weren't you supposed to be fearful when you're lost?"

The Ninja of Air let her eyebrow cock. "Why should I? I'm a ninja. Anyways, check it out. It's the map around Jamodecai Village." I leaned forward, placing a thin grip on the wall with my hand, my eyes locked on the map. There was a huge, unformed shape, which, most probably is the village. Then there was a blue circle at the center, which can be the artificial lake I almost tripped onto it earlier.

I widened my eyes, my index finger tracing along the map, softly, until it paused at a purple tiny circle. A blue arrow shot from the shape, the end of it had two words;

"The Abandoned Ballroom." I whispered, and my finger withdrew gently. 'It's south, along the Forest Coast." Will's mouth gaped open, like someone stuck a stick between his jaw. "That means we have to get back to the crowd again. What a nice surprise." He muttered. I shot him a 'I'm watching you' look. "And I'll make sure you'll never get to step a foot on the dumpling store."

"Now I know how Lloyd felt when he was grounded not to eat sweets." Will mumbled, and Ashlyn snickered softly. I took a hard stare at the map for a minute, having all the direction stamped onto my mind, and we took off.

"FINALLY! HALLELUJAH!" Will flung his arms open, tasting the air of freedom with his open mouth. I smiled at the ninja as I scanned our surroundings. As expected, we were in the park around the ballroom. Trees hung over our heads like a natural ceiling, but letting sparks of sunlight flow to warm the wide expanse of grass. Ashlyn hopped over a root, gigging at the Ninja of the Amber Dawn, a soft jingle of the bells.

"Since when did Will attend drama class?" She covered a hand over her mouth as Will hugged a tree and gave it a slobbery kiss. "A few seconds ago." I joked back.

A walk in the woods turned into a run as thrill rose in me when I saw the purple dome perched in the horizon. Ashlyn caught up with me as I leaned over a trunk, my eyes trained on the Ballroom with horror.

Or what was once it was.

Pieces of cement and shards of shattered glasses scattered on the vast area of stone tiles, the pillars lay in broken pieces, like a sausage torn into pieces. Only the dome, which was strangely the only thing left untouched by the War, sat on top of the destruction, the glass dome glinting under the sun.

"Wh...What the-?" Will leaned on a trunk, but his eyes was scanning the wreckage. "So how are we supposed to go in there and find your bro?" Ashlyn pointed out. I inched closer in trembling paces, my breath getting shorter and shorter. "I don't know... Brother?"

I closed my eyes, ignoring the screams of panic erupting inside me, and imagined a replica of the corruption in front of me, before diving into it.

I paused as a confusing vortex of colors flared around me, and my soul got sucked, deep into nowhere. Then a soft whisper, a comforting tone that soothed my spirit down...

"_Sister._"

I snapped myself to reality, and my body gained back it's owner, which was on the verge on tripping onto a sea of grass. Ashlyn shot me a hopeful look, waiting for news. "So?"

Will crossed his arms and looked at the mess. "Building this thing back is impossible," He muttered, and simply kicked a small rock at the corner. I closed my eyes again, and whispered silently in my heart making sure it echoed around me;

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.**Did you like it? Do I need to improve? Sorry! I have a lot of fanfics to catch up, including my new fanfic from Rise of the Guardians... so review, and I'll update as fast as I can! XD**

**P.S. Reviewers are pure awesome! **


	4. Barmy Army

**Merry late christmas! XD it's a hasty five minute writing, so if there's any grammar mistakes, sorry! XP**

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_Brother, I need you._

_Sister..._

As I was thrown into the first place I met my brother, the familiar dome letting the moonlight illuminate the room quietly, the pillars setting a grand atmosphere that once belonged to a ballroom. The man made pond shimmered in the most mesmerizing lights, as familiar as ever as I inched forward to the pond, waiting for the figure of my brother to form into sight again.

Yep, this, is my brother, as he said.

The dragon blinked, and unfurled its magnificent sparkling wings, its claws stretching out at me, glinting in deadliness.

_You are as wise as I expected, sister. Father will be proud._

I smiled. "Nice to see you too, bro. I'm here for some advice."

A chuckle followed from the dragon, yet there was no hint of amusement on the dragon's scaly lips. "_Golden paths doesn't have to be gold to everyone_." He whispered, and I grew quizzical, confused over how did he actually read my thoughts. "What do you mean?"

The silver dragon didn't answer.

The next minute, my sight was like it was pulled back, and I was safely in Will and Ashlyn's arms. "Well? WHat did your bro said?" Ashlyn questioned with a hint of impatience, and Will sighed. I rubbed my throbbing head, trying to recall if he said anything to me. "He said... Golden Paths don't have to be golden to everyone."

Ashlyn frowned. What does he mean by that?" Will placed a finger on his chin and shrugged. "Maybe the golden path is invisible? I dunno." I regain my balance, and looked back at the historical mess, closing my eyes, hoping to get back to my brother to get more details, but yet my hope failed me.

"Argh! Why does he have to let me guess away? I'm not Einstein, for god's sake!" I growled in frustration, and stomped the ground impulsively. Ashlyn crossed her arm across her chest. "Well, I guess we'll have to find out ourselves. Probably it's better." Will leaned on a trunk, shrugging again.

Back at the Bounty

Kai leaned on the paper wall, looking at the ground again. "Well, I don't find any golden paths, but I do know Sensei might have a opinion." Cole gave a 'I don't know' face. "Sensei might know."

I gave a exasperated sigh. "Oh, bro. I am very proud of your EQ."

At the moment, the elder banged into the room, followed by Nya. "Students, trouble brews again." his tone was grave, yet it was beyond motivating to get the snoring Lloyd onto his ground.

"Garmadon's army's targeting Kai's village again." Nya reported. Kai rose from his lazy state in the speed of light, his brows scrunching into a worried mood. "What?! Guys, get up, now! We have to go!" Everyone was forced to a alert state as Nya navigated the ship, creaking it to west, where chaos is bubbling.

It was disastrous.

The village, once a small yet peaceful place to spend a quiet life, was in its way to land into a state of worthless ashes. Villagers were forced to scream as the men desperately attempted to defend their home with canes against the powerful forces of the skeletons tumbling a house to burnt wood. Woman carried their child, screaming with fear and fleeing when escape was possible.

Kai growled as he saw his blacksmith shop was in the verge of crumbling, and smashed a skeleton to the ground.

"They'll pay for this, I swear." Will muttered as he slashed across another bony warrior to the OverLord.

I tucked on my hood, and leaped into action, unsheathing my katanas as I slashed a skeletal warrior to pieces, and gathered a sphere of pure energy, injecting a row of them to ashes, and ran to eliminate more.

"BRING THE VILLAGERS TO ZANE AND ASHLYN!" Kai cried, and I nodded, before exploding into a vortex of silver, zipping into the village.

I ran to aid of a man defending his house with a stick as his opponent almost killed him off with a golden butterfly sword, and smashed it to the ground. "GO THERE FOR SAFELY! NOW!" I yelled, pointing a finger at the busy Zane, but he refused to budge. "My wife is in danger!" His eyes shone with desperate pleading, and I nodded. "I'll do it. Go, now!" I noticed a woman in raven black hair and glittering robe collapsing in despair, watching as a skeleton warrior huddling a baby child in its bony arms.

"No! Not my Baby! My gem!"

Gem...?

"Of course!" I leaped with joy, accidentally slamming onto a warrior, and ran to stop the skeleton.

"Step back, or she diesssss." The skeleton unsheathed his weapon, and I froze on my pace, my eyes trained on the now hysterical baby crying in his arms, so innocent. I recalled how I saved Ashlyn for the first time, and projected the same beam of energy to the skeleton, shattering the guy to pieces. That was easy.

I leaped forward, just in time to catch the youngling from harm, and cuddled it into my arms, smiling gently at the chance of life. "You're safe now, little kid." I whispered softly at the now calm baby, and walked towards the overjoyed mother.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I don't know how much I can repay you!" The women hugged the baby tight, and looked at me with watery, hazel eyes. I smiled genuinely. "It's my pleasure, ma'am."

The battle between the barmy army and the ninjas raged for a while, but Ashlyn and Zane managed to usher the rest villagers to safety as Kai and the others fended the village before it completely corrupted.

Finally, I watched as Will stabbed the last skeleton, and I burned down the monster truck they utilize as a transportation. The remaining villagers cheered in relief, but some sorrowfully grieved at the capture of their relatives, and throbbed in emotions. I ran to Ashlyn first, and gave her a bear hug, celebrating our survival. "Ashlyn! I know how what my brother means now!" I squealed, and Ashlyn widened her eyes.

"What?"

"We're too foolish to not know! Gold doesn't means it have to be gold! It just needs to be precious to you!" I explained briefly, and Ashly slapped herself. "Oh, silly me! We are total stupids!"

"I know ri-" i stopped as my eyes dragged me to something, something hidden under the shadows behind a straw house, flicked to sight for a moment, before withdrawing. My heart stepped back from place a little, and I couldn't help but let the frown slip to place. Uneasiness settled.

I was so buried deep in my thoughts I didn't realize I was in the middle of a conversation, until Ashlyn pulled me back to reality with a sudden bark inches near my ear, pulling my soul back so hard I almost toppled back.

"Hey, woman, are you listening to me?"

"Y...yeah... sure... yep." I forced the thoughts to be pushed to the back of my mind, and returned to reality.

"So there was this place, I really liked..."

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**Thanks for reading! Was it good? HUH? HUH? Tell me in le reviews! :)**


	5. Kidnapped

"Are you sure?" Will spared a nervous glance throughout the woods, kicking shrubs to a side to clear a quiet pebble path. We were at a unknown place smack in the Deep Tangle, the wild signature of nature of Ninjago.

"Well, yeah? Ever since I came to this place, sucked off my memory, whatever, I fell in love with this place. It's like... connected to me. I liked this place, and I'll just... die if this was chopped to pieces. No offense to you guys." Ashlyn's tone was confident, but me myself was uncertain. I looked around, and sighed. "Why not let me have a guess? I don't think we tested this before but..."

I leaned on a trunk, my hands sweeping across the rough bark of the tree. "We'll try to combine powers. Like the prophecy said, we three together would be the entrance to the Portal of... whatever." I waved my hand, and the two friends regarded me confusingly.

Irritation stirred, and the urge to quit the idea is spreading from the back of my mind. But who knows, it might work.

"Alright..." I pondered for a while, and twirled a finger. "We'll combine powers by forming a sphere of our own elements. How does that sound."

There was a moment of hesitation, and my heart started to tug down. But then Ashlyn smiled, and shoved her hands into her pockets. "Okay, why not?" Will shrugged in agreement. "Yeah, I'll go with Ashlyn. Hopefully we won't die or anything."

"Great." I took a deep breath, gestured a finger to tell the guys to form a triangle. They followed silently, and I bowled my hands, forming a sphere of glowing pure energy, sizzling and sparking with life.

Ashlyn made our hair blow back at her wild winds radiating form a single tornado in her hand, a mini powerful spectacle to admire. and Will made a fire like energy sphere flicker to life, dancing silently around his fingertips.

I took a deep breath, and looked at my fellow ninjas. "Ready?" Ashlyn and Will silently nodded, and the three symbols merged into one.

The air around us rippled like a maple leaf touching the calm surface of a water, the pattern exploding around us, and a blinding light followed, whooshing from the one sphere of extreme light, overwhelming us like a wave. I cried as my eyes ached at the brightness, and I pulled them shut for a while, waiting for the light to die, for the shock to recover, to wait for the portal to reveal.

Then the air exploded, a force so big it swept my feet away, throwing me into the sky like a rock being tossed. I screamed as I lingered in the air for a moment, and plummet down back to the ground, and pain hit again.

My legs throbbed back as the moment dragged on, so slow, my eyes craved to be exposed to the world again, my heart thudding up and down like a steampunk machine.

Finally, when I thought it was all over, I opened my eyes.

And a sharp pain erupted from my back, before my mind was thrown into a abyss of nothingness, and my eyelids grew heavy once again.

I woke up to the violent creak of the floor underneath me. A groan escaped my barred teeth as I tried to move, a few cracks slipping from my body that pained my heart. I felt like I slept through a whole beating from a merciless gang.

When I could finally slip into a sitting position, I opened my eyes, scanning the place with horrification.

I was no longer in the jungle, but in a moving cage, carried along the rough lands by horses, judging from the clatter of hooves thundering on the ground. The cage was no metal, yet it was made out of bones, solid, man bones. I touched it with a weak finger, and fear surged into my veins. Between the bony bars was the whizzing scene of the forest, heading for the outside.

Then there was skeletons- the ones I fought at the threat at the village, sitting on horses- the leather skins scarcely covering the rib cages underneath. One of them darted its ruby red eyes at me, and it was fixed there, shining with triumph and hunger.

I'm held captive.

By Lord Garmadon.

Panicked, I attempted summoned threads of power from the sun to free myself, but it was cut off in the middle of the process, like there was some scissors between the raw power in the sun from me. My heart plummeted, but I refused to believe I was powerless. I gave another shot, but to see my powers fading again. It was almost there, my soul so close with the sparking thread of power, but alas, it broke down.

Attempts ofter attempts, beads of sweat formed in my forehead, and exhaust held me down, my hope withering like a flower's petal being plucked, slowly, slowly, until what remained was the yellow shade of pollen.

It was hopeless. I can do nothing.

The urge to cry hopelessly came, but I blinked back the demanding tears. I remembered what Sensei, the ninety year old fit man, said to me, a few months ago;

**Remember, even when you are the most powerful ninja, you will still fight as any normal ninja. **

**Yeah, Reanne. Don't be spoiled by your power.**

My soul soothed from the dread, and my heartbeat stumbled into a normal pace. Yeah, Reanne. Chill. I have to calm down. My eyes darted around, waiting for the whole trip to end, entertaining myself with made up speeches I was gonna say in front of the Overlord.

I'll see if my powers worked there, and I'll kill him. That very thought was enough to amuse me for quite a while, until the cage suddenly jammed into a sharp halt, cutting my thoughts by smashing a elbow on a bar.

Are we there yet? I tried to peer around us, but we were still nowhere near what I expected. The skeleton beside me huffed as the horse's gallop slowed to a trot, then a stop.

"Rest! We'll continue the journey later!" The voice was harsh, cruel, making me shudder.

"But boss, big boss wants it tod-" This voice was funnily resembling a clown's.

"Shut up, Bones. We ain't that good for that guy." The third voice hissed, and the second voice, whom they addressed as Bones, whimpered.

Eventually one of them looked at me, and gave me a 'Stay here' glare, before jiggling off with a odd pace.

I'm all alone now.

I checked my surroundings once again, hoping to hear a 'tsk', or 'hey', or even a faint whistle. Ashlyn and Will must be captured too. They won't simply just capture me, won't they? I can't underestimate their wisdom.

I took off the pin that supported my ponytail, and the whole curtain of copper hair and silver streaks tumbled down onto my shoulders. Wiping a strand of hair, I scanned the cage for a lock to hack in. But there was none, nothing to free me out of the cage. It was like the whole thing was opened by the ceiling on top of me.

Disappointment dawned, but snapped back to the back of my mind as soon as I heard steps coming audible in my ears. Not the skeleton's stalky pace's, but a swift, human clatter of the boots. My heart darted everywhere, but my eyes peered over the group of skeletons, in case they heard about it as well.

They were so busy wolfing on something blackish, like broccoli, none of them even bothered to look at me. Relief churned, and I perked up for the source of the sound behind me.

It was a shadow, zooming through the leaves of the jungle, swift like a jaguar, a cat, stretching a few meters away from me.

"Pst, hey!" I whispered as loud as I dared, my heart solemnly hoping for her, or him, to notice. The shadow suddenly paused, at my relief, but it didn't show itself. "Hey! Please!" I whispered once more, my heart tightening.

Finally, it slowed to a walk, and the sunlight covered her body.

The first thing I saw was her face. Sharply angled, it was perfectly pale, liked it never touched a single singe of sunlight her entire life. Turquoise eyes were fixed on me with deadliness, her light pink lips half open, like she was gonna say something. The hair behind her was silky raven black, so black it almost looked blue, spilling down on her shoulders to her back like a waterfall.

She wore a navy green singlet, khaki pants but her black boots was roughly blocked by the grass stretching to her knee. A tiara hung on her forehead, forming into a curving into a V shape to between her eyes, adorned by a emerald.

In her hands was two deadly daggers, gleaming under the light that struggled into the cover of the canopy. I just turned my gaze at the weapon like it was a rod that was planning to stab me and roast me and turn me into another delicacy from the barbecue dishes.

The girl must've realized my face, because she lowered her daggers and my breath went smooth, before my body started shooting weird sign languages about letting me out, only to receive a tilt of confusion of the head by the girl. I gave a sigh, and whispered, as softly as possible. "Can you help me?"

The girl looked around her warily, before walking towards me soundlessly among the sea of grass, and leaped silently to the bars. "What price are you willing to pay?" Her voice was silky and a little deep, ringing like a gong in my heart.

I have to pay to get out?

"Um," I cleared my throat. "Can we talk about the price later? Please, I need to get out now. Then we discuss about the financial problems."

The girl flashed a sly smile, and flicked back into the shadows.

I just stared in midair for a second, registering what just happened, and realized she just abandoned me.

* * *

**So how was it now? I hope it's okay, :)**


	6. Truth

Disappointment pulled me down once again, but as replaced as rage flared, and I growled as loud as possible. Money crazy people. No stranger is just too worthy to trust now.

Unfortunately, after I called a few times for that stupid mystery girl and got no response, the skeletons came back, and I groaned in misery as the cage started moving again, taking me somewhere far from home, but surely, the place of Garmadon. I curled into a ball, waiting for bumps and creaks haunt me like ghosts.

Eventually a dreamless sleep swept me away from my worries, and when I opened my eyes again, I was released from the cage, but what dove into my mind was a nightmare for cheery people.

A towering mountain tore through the sky, black clouds spiraling it like a sphere, giving out thunder occasionally. In front of me and the skeletons securing my position, (one glaring at me), was a blank wall of stone, nothing more.

Then one of the bony warriors stepped up, and pressed a hand on the wall, before it split into half, bringing a secret passage to light. I gulped, and the skeletons shoved me in, with my heart pounding like a horse's galloping pace, beads of freezing sweat of the fear dripping from my heart.

I started coming through chambers- pillars looming over me eerily, skeletons looking at me with a glint of fear, but it was no match to mine lurking around me heart. From time to time I get a painful shove from the skeletons, and I had to seal my lips shut from giving out a yell. Then again, I tried m powers, but it failed to respond of me, as half of me expected.

It lasted for long seconds, my heart was jumping up and down, my mind unable to function, just hope, and hope, for the journey to end, for me to face the Overlord.

Finally, they stopped in front of a metal door, and they started to look at each other nervously, and then nudged each other. Finally, they pushed one of the thrashing skeletons to the front door, and it glared at them, before knocking the door timidly, and it swung open, revealing my sworn enemy, the one who killed my family, the one who brought me into all of this, the man who was sitting on the throne of black stones, glaring at me greedily.

Lord Garmadon.

But it was funny to see him four armed.

"At last, you pathetic little girl." The man grinned at me with shining white teeth, and I growled again, and forced my power to come again. It has to, it must. I have to finish my Mark, let all of this crumble to dust.

Nothing.

I was powerless, and that was official.

The man chuckled again, and leaned away from his throne. "You cannot destroy me now. My minions have injected you with a medicine to make you utterly useless." Clever.

"What do you want with me?" I hissed, my hands balling into fists. Garmadon laughed again, so hard he actually smashed his armrest with a fist, and I watched as it crumble to dust in front of me.

"Oh, nothing, nothing much, really. Just a deal."

"I will never deal with you."

"Oh, you haven't heard all of it yet." The Overlord mused, snapping his fingers. "Did you think the prophecy is true? Did you think all of the illusions, the visions that you faced," He leaned forward. "Is true?"

What?

For a moment, the words hit my watery surface of belief, and as it sinked, my heart felt like a balloon, its air seeping out slowly, the life fading away.

Lies. He is speaking lies.

"You may think me as a liar now, but it is true." The Overlord grinned in victory. "You know that all three elements of yours will create a death leading ray of explosion, yet you did it, because you believed in the prophecy. And how can a prophecy do that to you? Why would it want you to die..." he spared a moment to chuckle again. "If it was true?"

"When your mind is at the weakest, I projected fake visions into you and your pathetic friend ninjas, to lead you into a trap, so capturing you is possible."

"Why take me as captive only? Why not three of us?" I screamed at him, my eyes heavy with tears.

"Why, who do you think had restored her memory? I did. When I threaten the ninjas later with you to surrender, Ashlyn will be the tool to persuade the ninjas to do so. The memories gave her the strong meanings, the word that she was worth dying to save you. Without the memory, Ashlyn wouldn't die for you. Same to Will." Garmadon grinned, and I feel like I'm being carried to a grave and about to be buried alive. I don't feel like living anymore.

I was being led blindly to a lie. A big, fat lie. So Lord Garmadon was playing with my friends, my new family, and me all year long. So he can reign Ninjago forever. But was my brother a lie too? Was he part of the scheme?

For a moment, there was no light inside me. No flicker of hope. Only deep, dark, empty, darkness.

Lord Garmadon then shifted comfortably. "Now, for the deal. Now I will threaten your friends. But I won't harm them. If you join me, to rule the world. Your friend Ken did it. He betrayed you, all of you, and joined the Serpentine. You can do the same, and have your powers back."

There was hesitation. There was. Normally I would shake my head violently and scream no. But I had nothing to defend myself now. Not even my powers. My friends are at risk. But then...

They had the ninjas. They have the powerful Lloyd, Kai, Jay, Cole and Zane. Sensei was there to cover them too. Sensei will be wise to defeat Ashlyn's persuasion. They can live without me. They were safe, for now. What does Lord Garmadon have against them?

That shook me to sense, and I shook my head wildly. "No. Do what you want with me, but I will not do as you say."

Lord Garmadon seemed the greatest of the surprise. "No? Are you sure?"

A faint grin crept up my lips. "I made my decision."

Ha, let your plan backfire.

"Very well!" The voice was filled with rage, and the Overlord rose from his seat. "Guards!"

Two skeletons appeared, and Lord Garmadon faced me once again, ignoring my determined pair of eyes. "I give you the last chance to go through me, harmless. Submit your answer."

"No."

He never spoke a word to me again, and he turned to the guards. "Take her to the dungeon."

I couldn't recall the journey. The thoughts of disbelief, the haunting speech that was threatening to throw me to a abyss of despair, was cloaking my eyes, and I can barely feel the clenching of the arms and my combat boot dragging on the carven grounds like a fugitive being dragged away from public.

Nothing was there for my nerves to attend on. But my brain was on the verge of overworking, until I was tossed into a dimly lit cell, and the pain crashed my thoughts open.

The only thing that gave light was a small torchlight that weakly radiated wisps of light. The window, secured by bars gave no signs of luminous objects, just the dreading yearn to be back to the light as it displayed a cheery sight of the spring land far away from the cell.

What is there to entertain me was just the thoughts in my head.

Was my brother a lie too?

What about Sensei Wu?

The whole place?

Even my friends...?

Endless possibilities only made me want to plunge a knife into my heart, or someone break down the wall so I can commit suicide. If I had the power now, I would do that. For hours, only the tears and thrashing attended my soul, and finally, exhaust cloaked me, as I plunged to darkness.

* * *

**Okay, so I was a *little* merciless to this OC. **

**...**

**Fine, a LOT merciless. I'm teaching her the way of human. XD **


	7. Controlled

**I feel like posting a lot of chapters in one time. maybe I feel guilty for not doing this for a long time. **

Ashlyn's POV

The last thing I saw was light.

I couldn't feel. I couldn't hear. I couldn't see. I was blinded, my eyes barely shielded by my arm as the light exploded from the combination.

Then a hand grabbed my arm, and fear exploded into my veins, surging to my heart. I tried to scream, but not a sound came. It wasn't the warm touch of my best friend Reanne's, nor the tough grip of Will, or the other ninjas and Sensei's feeble hand.

It was scaly.

Claws threatening to burst into my skin, trying to turn me into what Reanne almost did.

Serpentine.

Then I was dragged from the light, leaving me screaming continuously and soundlessly at the two ninjas as the scaly man dragged me through my favorite passageway, to nowhere but poisonous hell.

I closed my eyes for the whole time, not bearing to see the sight of so many serpentines, but my ears cruelly let the hisses of delight and languages enter my mind, disturbing me.

One of them loaded me into something, and cold concrete met my body instead of the assuring touch of grass. Suddenly, the cold concrete yanked up, and my hair flew back, like I was on a bumpy ride in a car, but I resisted the urge to open my eyes.

There were a few more bumps, and I started to think if they were placing me on a kiddie ride. But that was impossible, just a mere amusement from the back of the brain in the attempt cheer me up.

Finally, it all stopped, after a long drag of time, and my eyes maintained the position, refusing to let go of the blindness. I felt two claws load me down like a package, and I winced silently in pain as my butt hit a rocky ground. But then I heard some hissings, I couldn't translate, and a normal pace of a man walked in a blade of a battle axe dragging on the grounds.

Ken.

I growled as I felt the power of a ninja come close, and the heat caressed my face as he inched close. It was Ken, no lie. The memories of him leading to the near death of my best friend flashed in my mind, and tongues of fire flickering with rage boiled my blood.

Then his whispers of words came out: "I see the situation now."

"Shut. Up." I grumbled back, and he withdrew in a chuckle. I refuse to hear what conversation happened next, and two hands grabbed me again, this time squeezing me. "Look at me."

The voice was mesmerizing though it was like the mouth was filled with sand, a invisible hands trying to pry my eyelids open.

He was hypnotizing me.

I closed my eyes even tighter, my ears moaning at the voice like a man in a insane bloodshed war.

"No," I whispered, and the grip tightened, before I gulped in a breath of air. "N...no."

"Listen to me," The cold scales started to press on my shoulders. "Open those eyes. Look at me."

My eyes fought for the will between me and the snake man, and my mind screamed in horror as it started to flutter. I can't loose to the voice. I can't.

I tried to get free of my hands, but I was sealed to the two serpentines like superglue to ground. I'm trapped.

"C'mon, Ash. It's not that hard to open your eyes, isn't it?" Kens taunting tone shot a dagger through my heart, but I managed to keep the eyes closed. "I will not loose to you bunch of jerks." I muttered, and the two serpentines hissed.

I shouldn't have led my friends to my favorite path.

Now it became one of my most feared places.

If I ever get out of here.

Please, let Reanne and Will find me, ambush them, lead me away from this thing. Oh, hey, let this be a dream. Isn't that awesomely better?

C'mon, Ashlyn, think of something...

Wait...

What the heck happened to my powers?

I can't use them...

Panic and fear exploded, clouding my mind even more than before, and it took off my control over the eyes, as they flung open, meeting a pair of swirling lines.

How beautiful...

Reanne's POV

A small set of stinking red stuff that I cannot make myself believe this was dinner was lying in front of me, freshly served. My eyes were trying desperately to convince my growling stomach to shut up as soon as it registered the sight of the meal.

But I couldn't take it. The Overlord will have to try a lot harder to make me puke in disgust.

And I crammed it all into my mouth, but I was fully surprised that it flooded my tongue like honey, sweet, suckling honey. Hunger exploded, even more ferocious, and I looked at the nearly empty plate, the disgusting sight long faded. After I felt the most content of full and the plate cleanly empty, I lounged in the corner of the bed, my eyes staring at the window meaninglessly.

Despair... Fear... Loneliness... Powerless... Hopeless...

There was no place of escape...

In sorrow, tears blinded my sight, as I closed my eyes, throwing back to dreams again.

Sister...

Brother...?

I wanted to speak the name, let it go of my heart, but I stopped myself, as the beast came close, its looming wings folding.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?! GO AWAY! I DON'T WANT YOUR ADVICE!"

Sister-

"I SAID GO AWAY! YOU SON OF A TRAITOR!" Tears pressed again, and I leaned forward to swipe him, and it disappeared like wisps of smoke. As soon as the monster was gone, I curled into a ball, and wept, under the moonlight, as long as I could, ignoring the screaming lungs crying for air.

Will's POV

One minute, we were there, present under the light as it exploded. It was a near death explosion. When the light faded, I was the only one there, Ashlyn and Reanne gone. Not a trace, not a single hair was left, and horror crept up my heart like spiders.

The first solution: find them.

I stood up, my legs throbbing a little, but determination set a still crutch on them as I trudged across the sea of grass, calling Ashlyn and Reanne for a long while, hoping for them to get out, or at least scare the wits out of me and giggle like it was all a joke.

For hours it was like that, yelling and rummaging, till the sky was shaded twilight purple.

But no one came.

Nothing happened.

My heart raced, my eyes darting all over the jungle, but another assuring solution settled down.

Go back to the Bounty. Get help.

"What is wrong with you guys?!" Cole exclaimed, ignoring the cup crashing to the floor beside him. "You know that you can make a nuclear bomb out of you three's element if you guys crash?"

"Wh-What?" I felt I was whacked over by a bat.

"Oh, never mind. It's too late to tell you that. Reanne and Ashlyn got lost, and you scream back here for help like a baby. How ninja-ish." Kai growled, looking at the floor.

Now it's my time to get angry. "Hey, I searched for them for hours, hours! Do you have any idea how long we were gone? And you blamed me, for letting them missing?!"

That kind of made the whole crowd silent, and I felt a little guilty for yelling like that. Finally, sensei, who was invisible among the conversation, opened his eyes, and poured steaming tea into his cup. "Patience, phoenix. There is nothing to be offended about."

"I am not a phoenix! I wasn't supposed to be anyways! I am a student, a normal student, not a ninja!"

Before I can expose all my anger, Nya burst in, wide-eyed in panic, and I knew there was bad news.

"A crowd of red dots is filling the north side of the city radar. The serpentines are here." Her tone was filled with panic, a silent hand that pushed us out from our tense situation.

"Okay, not a good time to yell around now." Lloyd tucked in his emerald green hood, his eyes gleaming in conscious enthusiasm and I swore he grinned within the thread hood. "Time for action!"

Kai nodded in agreement, and unsheathed his elemental blade, letting it spark in flickers of flame as the six ninjas leaped off the deck of the ship, plummeting to the now chaotic environment of the city. As I carried myself under a soft cushion of energy levitating in the clouds, I can hear the screams of fear of the citizens piercing my heart like a jab of the needle.

When I landed, sure enough, reptiles were cramming along the streets, terrorizing citizens, tossing cars. I growled as I hacked my daggers into one of the serpentines, and watch them disappear into venom. Then I turned around, looking at the ninjas aiding me, and targeted one of the fiercest.

"Looking for someone?"

The voice was dreadfully recognizable, the one who almost scared the skin off my body at that camp. But something looked awfully wrong... I can see two fangs poking from his mouth, but it wasn't a sign he was a serpentine.

Ken, the ninjas of venom stood in front of me... his eyes glinting sick green. "Hey, Will. Not so scaredy after all, aren't you?"

"You're the scaredy one." I readied myself, tossing my twin daggers into the air professionally, before snatching it back into my hands as Ken toyed with his battle axe.

Now this is a challenge.

"Tut, tut, tut," He tutted like a girl, waving his finger, and pointed the axe at me. "If you want to defeat me, you'll have to go through her." He started to back off, and my mind racked.

Her?

There is a female ninja from the serpentine too?

As he backed off, a girl stepped up, her blonde hair whipping off like the wind, the maroon ninja outfit contrasted darkly with the city lights, but the shine in her eyes were long gone, replaced by a sick shade of glowing venom green.

The girl steadied, unleashing her bo staff, but I was too stunned, to hurt, to counteract, and I fell to the ground.

"A...Ashlyn." I whispered, as she closed in. Her face was emotionally encased in stone, her eyes still glowing. She was controlled. I can hear the chuckle of amusement from Ken, and rage burst in.

"Oh, this is going to be fun, fun fun."

A part of my heart suddenly begin to shatter at the fact that I have to fight her, my fellow ninja, one of my best friend. She begin to whip her staff again, but this time I shot a dagger, and it withdrew in a chink of the contact between the steel and pure energy.

I shot a energy ball at her, and she begin to turn the staff, going into a degree so fast that it act as a shield in front of her as the sphere bounced off, and dove to me. Pain shot through my stomach as I hear Jay yell, and I collapsed into the floor, unable to attend to my agony.

For a moment, I can't hear the battles around me, only the disbelief Ashlyn was right in front of me, quietly holding her bo staff.

"Ashlyn, wake up!" I yelled between moans as Ashlyn came striding in quietly, hoping the yell with wake her up, returning the shine to her eyes. But she heard it as nothing as the pace continued, Ken chuckling even more harder, making me growl.

"She hears nothing, only its master's commands. You cannot stop her by whining."

Ignoring him, I stood up, one hand holding my stomach, and yelled again. "Ashlyn, don't loose to the venom! Fight it! I trust you in this, you became ninja, because you are stronger than it! Come back to us, all of us!" I roared, and Ken's chuckle faded to a smirk. "I repeat, you can't stop her."

Ashlyn lashed out a foot, and I blocked it with a scissor swipe, and lashed out my dagger, trying my best not to hurt her. Ashlyn didn't make a sound at the punch a threw later, but tried to stab her bo staff at me. I hooked up her ankle, and pinned her down with my daggers as she collapsed to the street road.

Alas, before I can snatch her bo staff out of her grasp, a shadow appeared out of nowhere, clouding Ashlyn from me. Shock froze me for seconds as Ashlyn was scooped up by the shadow, and it zoomed over a building.

In seconds, she is gone, and so was the mystery shadow.

Pain clouded, fear bubbled up again as I called for Ashlyn, but only Ken hissed in respond. "Useless!" He turned to the serpentine, who was still viciously fighting the ninjas. "Adrian took the girl ninja!"

I tackled him, and we wrestled on the ground before the ninja of venom can receive the faces from the reptile like creatures. I slammed a dagger on his face, but he dodged, only to leave a long scar streaking across his face, quickly covered by his hand as he pushed me over by the head, and stood up.

"Retreat!"

I watched in despair as the serpentines launched into the building, leaving the ninjas having the same face as me as they disappeared.

One thought about the shadow that carried Ashlyn away;

He better be in the good side, or at least none.

We returned, and Cole was flabbergasted. "You... You should've took Ashlyn! God, she was right in front of you, controlled stupidly by the serpentines and you on't even have a thought of taking her away. Now she's gone, and god knows where she is now! Ugh! You-" Cole raised a fist to punch me, but Sensei stopped him with a grasp on the wrist.

"Enough! Cole, back to training!" He exclaimed, and Cole glared at me, before stomping to the nearby door, and slamming it shut, silencing the atmosphere. Kai had went to sleep, so did Nya, Zane and Lloyd, but Jay was at the command room, and I have no idea if he heard this or not.

As if everything changed under a second, Reanne gone, Ashlyn gone, trust lost, confidence lost, mood lost. Nothing was there for me to reach. I can feel loneliness barge into my heart, and tears made their way to my eyes, but I blinked it back as soon as the needlelike emotions appeared.

You're a man. Men don't cry.

That's what mom told me, that's what she whispered into my ear when I did my first steps and tripped.

I walked to a seat, and plopped on it, putting my hands on my face as sensei came in. "You will not be that weak."

"I lost my friends, my home." I looked up angrily at the old man. "What the heck can I do to get them back? Build another house here? Get robots as friends?"

"Will, we are your new family now. This is your home. And your friends are still alive, waiting for you to save them." His voice was gentle, calm, diving into my heart and making every sorrow to evaporate to dust.

Is he right...?

There's only one way to find out.


	8. Tearing out

Ken's POV

I knew the moment I was introduced to Adrian, he was no good to us. He was a older apprentice than me under the Serpentines, the ninja of Darkness, but he was all the goody two shoes. How amusingly ironic. If the chance was possible, he would do what he wants, despite the laws of evil. He was in no mood to be involved in any of the invasions, always preferring to train in the lair, but he never escaped. If it wasn't the tradition of his family to stay loyal to the serpentines, I would be the first to kick him out.

And yet he did it the goody thing again, sending Ashlyn back to the lair before we can make the threaten, and give out reasons so we would have nothing to defend ourself and give him a punishment.

I landed in front of our lair with rage pouring down my heart like magma and stalked to the head quarters, seeing Adrian, in his dark ninja attire, cradling a unconscious Ashlyn attentively, the serpentines around him hissing, eager to unleash their anger to the cause of the failing of the plan. But the dark aroma around him was dangerously sparking like a barricade of electricity.

"What were you doing?!" I yelled, and as usual, he didn't register it, his dark eyes bored into mine. "Things were going awesome, we were gonna threaten him, and you showed up. I thought you wanted to stay!"

"She will die under Will if that keeps up. You will have nothing to threaten them with if that happens. Don't you analyze situations properly?" His smooth, lively voice made me growl louder. "Urgh! You bastard!" I yelled, out of knock back sentences, and stormed to Skalidor.

As usual, that snake man was powerless in his rebelling sentences, but Adrian said that he would lock her in a chamber, and he went up the lair quietly.

* * *

Ashlyn's POV

Wha...

What happened...?

My instincts flowed back like a small breeze, and I shook myself to sense, like I just woken up from a coma. Then the horrible memory of being hypnotized came back, making me ache in guilt, and I found myself in my ninja attire, tight bonds of thick rope sealed me to place on a slab, and my bo staff sprawled at a side.

What did I do for the past few hours? How did they use me? I shivered for a moment, and I looked around me.

It didn't look like a cell, stone walls around me, a bed, a window to look over, a wooden door in front of me, and a cute wooden table. At first I assumed it was the Bounty, but it won't have stone walls, don't even think of it moving.

I tried my powers again, but the attempt was in vain. Panic rose, and I planned to struggle in my prison, but fear struck when I realize this slab might collapse on me in the next minute. My breath tightened, and I felt my mind failing me.

A bang came sounding on the door, causing me to bounce back. The wooden door swung open, and a purple snake slithered in, its red eyes glowing eerily, a golden scepter shaped into a snake glimmering in its scaly hand.

"Why hello, young lady."

"What do you want with me?" I staggered back as it hissed, its fork tongue lashing out and back. "Let me ask you a question; Do you want to reunite with Ken? Reanne? The others?"

The question injected thousands of my memories- my childhood memories- my high school memories, about me playing with Reanne, Will and Ken, under the sunlight, with giggles, squeals, and laughs. The memories slowly played in my mind, then turned to piercing tears.

"Do you want to go back to your world? Be normal?" The voice was slick with taunt, trying to lure my soul to him. But I nodded, the hunger screaming.

"Then you will have to be more powerful. You are far too weak now. And there is only one way."

I immediately snapped out of my dazed state, and my mind pressed down as I knew he was gonna make me into one of them. Someone like Ken. And I shook my head violently, my hair flying around wildly. "No."

"But I thought you wanted your life back." The tone was pitiful now, and I mumbled soundlessly as he inched closer to my forehead.

"Go away." I whimpered, and it withdrew, its temper already blown. Wow, what a level of patience. "Very well. But thissss will not be the end." He waved his staff, and a sparkling green dust danced its way into my eyes, with me helplessly trying to close my eyes, but it was a total failure.

Then my sigh changed- it was no longer a purple snake, it was in the Ninjago city, where the peaceful streets was now a chaotic, filled with serpentines chasing screaming citizens and police trying desperately to protect the city, but they were no match.

Then the ninja's came- to my relief, but I see only Will looking around the city, slashing off serpentines. There was no sight of Reanne. Then someone shadowed me- Ken, obviously. My temper heaved at the thought in rage, as I hear him speak a few words to Will, and Ken stepped back. I couldn't describe the horror of his face as the sight zoomed in, and a hand from nowhere lashed out my bo staff.

I realized then, it was a memory, a poisonous memory of me when I was hypnotized. My heart leaked as I screamed pointlessly at each blow I gave Will, each time he fell and tried to attack me. Soon, I was pinned, but then a shadow saved me, and took me away, away from Will...

"Yes. This is what you did when you were under my command. This is what happened. You did it all."

No... I felt my heart crumple, and I collapsed to the floor. "I will not join you."

"Hmm... death is too good for you." He mused as he tipped my chin with a claw, but I closed my eyes. "I will not let you die just yet. You dessssserve sssssomething longer, sssssomething far longer than a ssssstab of the chest. Ah, how about torture?"

I gulped, dread locking my heart like a chest.

"Then everyday, you will receive visions of torture, wether you like it or not, about the extreme pain you dare not face. And it shall begin tomorrow, till the day you finally kneel in front of me."

"I won't be beaten by stupid nightmares. Reanne and the others will find me, and beat the crap out of you guys." I said confidently. If Reanne can live from the dead, me escaping would be a piece of cake.

"Pathetic. How pathetic. I'd like to ssssee you try." He mused, and I realized someone was at the back. It wasn't a serpentine, but it wasn't Ken, either.

He had dark hair- blown to a side and covering a quarter of his right dark brown eye. The light seeping from the sun was dimly illuminating pale yet sharply beautiful features, and he was wearing a black ninja attire. I don't see any evil in him, but he was radiating a barricade of darkness.

"Ah, how rude of me to not introduce firsssst. I am Ssssskalidor (tell me if I'm wrong), and this is my other apprenticccce, Adrian, the ninja of darkness. Good looking, is he?"

Adrian regarded me with a eerie stare, and I backed, in fear.

"Well, I ssssssee the time isssss late." Skalidor turned, flicking its tongue again. "I hope you will enjoy the torturessss, my dear ninja. I hope you do."

Tears burst in as soon as the door closed, and I closed my eyes, my head leaning over, hoping for make all the sharp, twisted turns of my life, the memories, to fade away like dust.

But my heart keep diving into nothing. There was no rock of hope to support on. Lead started to charge into my veins in exhaust, and the physical torture was painfully unbearable. This kept on for... I think hours, before I heard a knock on the door, and the dust on my heart leaped away as the door swung open. But the only thing that greet me was another snake, carrying a tray of food as he came in.

It was wholly green with scales, but its eyes were yellow, like a glowing bee. "Who are you?" I whispered, and the snake darted its head to me, flickering its tongue. "Master wants you to eat."

I looked down at the tray of food, which was meat, steaming meat that messaged a strong aroma of beef that made my mouth water. "Why does he feed me with this?"

Then I realized why. He doesn't want me to die. I held a breath, and made a quick plan. After the snake leave, throw the meal down, then myself. Better die than suffer long. Reanne can go okay with me.

But instead of shoving the tray to me, he begin to fish out a spoon and feed me.

I was shocked, and withdrew when he tried to poke the spoonful of meat into me. "I don't need to me babysat," I snapped, but he didn't retreat. "If master didn't insists me to feed you, I would just throw you the food like I'm feeding a sheep. Now shut up." I silenced as he started to feed me, and the heavenly taste dotting my tongue, and I almost shivered at the bliss.

When the serpentine finally finished feeding, I opened my eyes, and watched as the snake went out, slamming the door with a jolting thud.

And I was alone.

But at least energy was surging into my body, and I sighed once again, wriggling my fingers. Then I heard a loud rapping at the door, and my heart plummet again, and the door sung open, revealing someone I least expected to visit.

"Hello." The ninja of darkness greeted me.

* * *

Reanne's POV

Days passed like that.

My power refused to work at all, and its growing worse. I was fed the same thing for a long time, but the taste was extremely different, yet still tasty. Twice checking, there really was absolutely no chance of escaping. Guards were supervising me like a hawk, confiscating stuff that was possible for my escape. Not those clumsy skeleton guards who sways back and forth. They look like they were made of rocks, and the face quickly tells you if you touch him, the next minute you're off the balcony.

One day, the tray of food came again, and I was leaning in to gobble it up, before...

"First advice; don't eat it."

It was the mystery girl's silky voice that woken me up, and my silver eyes got caught in her sea blue's. Hope sprang, and I scrambled from my lazy state, and she smirked.

"Wh-where were you?" I choked, and she chuckled a little, which . "Catching up with your little carriage. Hope you don't mind the lateness."

She didn't abandon me.

"Um... it's cool, I don't mind." I awkwardly said, and the girl's head swayed back and forth, her hair like a ink twister around her. "Don't eat the food. It is chemically induced, weakening every drop of your powers beneath."

I dropped my fork, my eyes staring at her like owl fixing at its prey. The girl lowered her head sharply, and snatched the plate away from me, and threw it out of the window in front of my eyes.

"No!" I cried that, remembering the all sweet taste of the meal leaving my mouth. The girl grasped my shoulder. All the hope I leaned on her shoulders disappeared with a poof.

"No. If you want to revive yourself, you have to sacrifice." She insisted.

"How do you even know I have powers?!" I smacked the hand off my back, still mad at her throwing my food away. "How do you know the food was poison? I'm freaking starving, you moron!" the growling came unexpectedly, and she backed in surprise, but stilled into a cold mood. "It's too late to get it back. If you want to escape, you will have to have your powers back," She hissed, grabbing me and shaking me violently.

"Are you always so obsessed with food before you were jailed? Think, awake!" She cried soft as I was shook violently, and I didn't react. Was I? Was I always obsessed with this stuff? Food had never been my priority, did it? Suddenly, as if the mind was clouded by mist, in a blink, had faded.

The girl must've realized that too, because she backed off, and I stared back at her, my gaze turning curious.

"Why are you so determined to get me out? Are you like, long lost sister or something?" My tone seemed casual, and she smirked again. "Many customers of mine had their deals half done, and tend to hunt me. I will not let it happen again. I have another job to finish."

"What is that job?" I questioned quietly, and she regarded me with cautious eyes.

"It is not of your concern. Turning back to now, we have to get you out of here, but time is vital too. Try to ignore your hunger, and test your powers everyday I'm sure you'll see graduate progress." With that, she slipped back to the shadows, leaving me alone.

* * *

It was almost impossible to cope with my hunger, which scraped me and hissed painfully, like a creature groping for water. My stomach growled again and again, and it was a seriously painful sight to throw the plate of food away as soon as the guards came to place the plate. The first three days, I see small specks of progress. I can touch the warm feeling of the moon's power again, a deep sigh melting down my throat as it tingled onto my fingers, scratching the bars that took my freedom away.

By the fifth day, I felt like collapsing to the ground and never rise. I softly yearn for the girl's return, hoping she would give me a hand, feed me with normal food or something. My fat from my arms were fading away, leaving stalky arms that supported my body.

The hours dragged by, but the agony was shielded as I see powerful spheres of pure energy making it's way to break through the cell. One more day and I'll be out of here.

The next day, the girl came to see me, and was satisfied with my progress, though she tried to avoid looking at my now chalky body.

"Where have you been?" I exclaimed, and she shook her head. " Not for you to know. We'll plan your escape tomorrow. Remember to go with me." I winced in disappointment. Gee, she is secretive.

But I couldn't wait.

* * *

**Ashlyn: &^*& ()_)!***

**Me: *^ (()_!(&$^**

**Ashlyn: *Shoves me out of the door* Well, do it!**

**Me: B-b-b-b-b-b-but-**

**Ashlyn: IF YOU'RE SUCH A JERK TO LITERALLY PAUSE THIS THING ON A CLIFFHANGER AND MAKE ANOTHER FIC YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY GONNA QUIT IT IN THE FUTURE, YOU BETER SAY SORRY TO THE READERS FOR MAKING THE NEXT CHAPTER LATE! *SLAMS DOOR***

**Me: ...what she said. **


	9. Death

**This chapter may be a lil brief. *cough cough* fine, A LOT brief. I can't seem to put my attention here... argh... *runs around in circles hitting brain* Just hope you guys can accept this. ****  
**

The next day, after the scheme she explained was burnt into my mind, I sprang into action. The next time the guard came, I leaned out a thin finger among the bars to charge a spark of deathly energy into it, and gave myself a hiss of triumph as it collapsed onto the floor with a groan.

Then I slammed my fists onto the bar- and my heart leaped as the bars finally shatter to worthless pieces of scrap metal, fluttering to the floor softly.

I got up- it was as hard as climbing a wall, since I had no energy to cope with the movement. When I did, I slipped into the shadows, praying as hard as possible for the skeletons to not notice me among the blanket of darkness. Then I slithered away into the blanket of darkness, hoping no one would notice.

Oh, god, why didn't I bring a GPS?

I breathed out a sigh of relief as I saw no one suspicious of my absence, and wandered away in hope for reaching a bright hole of a dam or a entrance forgotten to be closed by a clumsy skeleton. Not risking to let a bloom of energy illuminate the darkness, I had to gulp and grope for walls, praying I don't hit something I wasn't supposed to.

Suddenly, a crack pried a leak on my soul, as I looked around for anyone. I started to hear discussions, murmurs and some clowny statements. I started to lean on the wall, holding my breath and force the fear and panic to back down as the skeletons's steps slowly came paddling on the wet ground.

As soon as one of them spotted me, I encased my fist in a powerful sphere of energy and smashed it onto one of them, and they toppled down like a stack of domino. Shouts grew, but quickly sealed by my hand, and, the next minute, they were in pieces.

Letting myself breathe once again, I let a small spark dance on my fingers, and rummaged around the bones to find a ring of keys or some passport that I can use to escape or something. The only thing I found was a small paper, some toothpicks, and a wad of something pink. I don't think it's bubble gum.

I unfolded the paper and what I saw was gibberish. Mostly doodles, then some words that somehow resemble 'Garmadon = ninny'. Suddenly I feel bad for beating up the guy who wrote that. I shoved the paper into my pocket, and looked at the toothpick, grinning in faint triumph.

Now I have a weapon.

I looked back, the back of the mind rained with curiosity of where the mystery girl was now. Probably abandoning me and doing her top secret stuff. Slowly, I groped to a wooden door, and my heart leaped and got stuck at the bottom of my throat. Automatically, I fished the toothpick open, and started clicking away on the heavy metal lock that seemed impossible to lift.

After minutes of that, irritation flickered into a small flame in me, and tempted to grow, overwhelming my patience. Finally, I stuck the toothpick back into my pocket and pressed my palm on the lock, concentrating. It felt so good, the power radiantly going down your veins, energizing you, the sun seeming to shine right down at you.

As soon as the lock was removed, I slowly let the door creak open. Every creak seem to drown my heart little by little in trepidation, and sweat started to form beads on my forehead, my hand touching the toothpick slowly, the fingers encasing around it, ready for any upcoming ambush.

My feet stepped into a place of pitch black, and I let a light bloom in my fingers.

Thousands, literally thousands of skeletons had their eyes fixed on me, mouths curved into a nasty grin, swords raised, led by a skeleton I recognized.

"It's her! She killed three of my friends!" It screamed, and I felt like fainting.

I missed one at the fight. It escaped, and brought thousands.

I growled, my hands forming a sphere of a powerful crackling silver energy, ready to knock down few of the minions of evil. I may be as weak as a bone, but I am not powerless.

"Are you sure?" One of the skeletons with black armor and bigger eyes than the others raised a invisible eyebrow, and confusion stirred in the smallest part of my mind. But the whole body felt numb when one of the warriors brought a girl in messy hair, and a tiara with a gleaming emerald.

The mystery girl was barely semi conscious in its grasp, her arms covered in bruises, the prize of being beaten up.

"Go, youngling. Do not care about me."

I can't leave her alone. She helped me, she showed me the way to escape the entanglement of poison.

My soul felt beaten up, cold, starving, helpless.

The fire of hope quickly flickered as I kneeled in front of them, a silent move of defeat. "Do what you want with me, idiots." I muttered, and the girl closed her eyes.

"You're the idiot."

They tied me up, but kept a knife to the girl in case I tried to do anything. They even had another one at the back, in case I tried to take off one of the knives.

Lord Garmadon let them have the opinion to punish us, and they did. They were gonna kill us in the worst place ever. I was hungrier than ever, too weak to use my power against them. I can practically eat the ropes bounding me.

Just let me die.

I looked back. The girl was still asleep, unharmed. I breathed a sigh of relief, and silently hoped Ashlyn and the others were still at the Bounty, safe and sound.

Finally, my death has come, when the skeletons finally came to pick us up, and led us to the waterfall. My soul feel like lying on the ground and never rising again. I would, after a few minutes. As soon as I reached the tip of the waterfall, the girl finally woken up.

The water spilled spectacularly to the ground, creating magnificent waves of rainbow, a thunderous sound as loud as a group of proud galloping horses. It was a lavish view, yet now, it was just a pit of death to two girls. I gulped as the skeletons gave votes on who would die first.

"Hm, do you think the silver girl should go first? The black haired one seemed too pretty to go."

"No, Corpse, shut up! The girl should go first. She let the girl escape."

"Uh, let's choose straws!" Someone screamed, and I groaned, despite the grim situation. Boys.

But my heart was clenched by a icy hand all the time, until one of the skeletons cried yay, and my heart plummet. The bony warrior walked to us... the time seem to drag...

before his finger landed on the girl.

I glanced at her direction, my heart creeping up with ice. Her face was untouched by fear, only a bold, indestructible face of courage stood still on her face like a mask of rock.

"WAIT!" I screamed, before the skeletons shoved her down to death, the girl turned her head to me, aqua eyes gleaming.

"What's your name?" My voice was so fragile, I don't think she can hear it. But she did. She lashed a small dagger at the skeleton who was handling her with a sharp accuracy of her finger's shot, and it toppled over on the others, a small chance of escape.

"Evera Akemata." She whispered, and plunged to her death.


End file.
